ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — in music
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. row — a line
  9. suit — in cards
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — in control
  19. scale — size or range
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lean — thin
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cap — of ice
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com